The present invention relates to a supply chain management system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a supply chain management system that tracks and monitors products, personnel, and assets in a supply chain, and that is accessible over a network by one or more members.
Supply and demand commodity chains seek to provide high quality goods to end consumers through management and coordination of services between various participants in the commodity chain. Some products (e.g., food, paint, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, etc.) need to be shipped or transported under predetermined conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, etc.) to maximize freshness or quality of the product. These products may also be time-sensitive, necessitating quick delivery to an end destination or receiver (e.g., retail store, restaurant, etc.) where an end user (e.g., consumer) may purchase the products. Often, products are shipped over long distances, and can be transferred by land, sea, and/or air in order to reach the retail center within a desired amount of time. In some instances, storage of the products within the commodity chain is necessary to await the next stage in the supply chain. In some commodity chains, the products are not monitored during storage, which can result in damage to or loss of the products.